1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a sensing and/or control device assembly and method for fabricating sensing/control device assemblies and, more particularly, to sensing/control device assemblies (e.g., dual switch sensing/control device assemblies) with adjustment features and/or functionalities (e.g. rotary adjustment features/functionalities) for switch calibration and/or adjustment.
2. Background Art
Sensing and/or control devices, such as pressure switches or temperature switches, have innumerable uses in industry. For example, pressure or temperature switches to sense or detect when a specified pressure or temperature has been reached in a process media, device or system are well known. Sensing/control devices are useful in a myriad of different environments for commercial and industrial applications. Typically, a pressure or temperature switch is an electrical switch that is responsive to pressure or temperature changes.
In general, dual switch sensing/control devices (e.g., a dual pressure switch sensing/control device, or a dual temperature switch sensing/control device or the like) may be utilized as dedicated switches for safety and/or pressure/temperature monitoring of industrial systems or vessels. For example, dual pressure switch sensing/control devices may be utilized in a system to protect the system from excessively low or high system pressure (e.g., as a pump guard to control and protect supply pumps). Typical applications of dual pressure or temperature switch sensing/control devices include serving as safety shutdown switches or actuating a visual or audible signal when set-points are exceeded.
Price competition between the various sensing/control device manufacturers is a factor in the marketplace. Therefore, a savings in the cost of material, labor and the like by a manufacturer can have a significant effect on that manufacturer's sales, market share and margins. Therefore, a constant need exists among these manufacturers to develop more cost effective manufacturing techniques.
Typically, the switches of conventional dual switch sensing/control devices do not change state at the same time/sensed condition due to manufacturer tolerances in the switches/actuators. In general, some conventional dual switch sensing/control devices utilize some methods to attempt to make the switches of the devices operate in tandem. For example, some conventional devices employ a Belleville style spring washer or the like which snaps at a specified condition (e.g., a specified pressure or temperature). This snap action generally hits the switches in unison. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,243,857 to Reis.
Other manufacturers use a diaphragm system, typically in conjunction with a mechanical tongue. The tongue can be twisted side to side, effectively raising or lowering the actuators that hit each switch. In general, a point can typically be found where both switches act substantially together.
However, the Belleville design adds several parts and therefore cost and complexity. The diaphragm and tongue approach also adds parts and is typically very time consuming to adjust. Other conventional methods of changing the relative heights of the switches can also be time consuming and add cost/complexity to the devices. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,243,857 to Reis.
Thus, despite efforts to date, a need remains for cost effective and efficient systems/methods that provide for improved sensing/control devices. More particularly, a need remains for improved systems/methods that provide for sensing/control device assemblies with adjustment features (e.g., rotary adjustment features) wherein the switch or switches of the sensing/control device may be calibrated or adjusted via the adjustment features. These and other inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement are addressed and/or overcome by the systems and methods of the present disclosure.